Blood Banks

The American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) was established in 1947 as a national association of hospital and community blood banks, transfusion services, and other immunohematologic services; to improve blood collection and distribution; and to foster high standards of administrative and technical performance in the general field of immunohematology. AABB provides an assessment program, a national clearinghouse program for the transfer of blood and blood credits on a local and nationwide basis, disaster response planning, reference laboratories for the exchange of information and consultation, a rare donor file and a frozen blood depot providing rare blood types, certification and continuing education programs, awards in the field of blood banking services, educational materials and programs encouraging the public to donate blood, and technical and consultation services.

The American Red Cross has prepared people to save lives through health and safety education and training. From first aid and CPR training to swimming and life guarding, disaster education, HIV/AIDS education and Babysitter's Training, American Red Cross Preparedness programs help people lead safer and healthier lives. The Red Cross constantly strives to respond to the preparedness concerns of Americans at home, in school and in the workplace. Innovative programs also include teaching lay persons and professionals how to use automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to save victims of sudden cardiac arrest.

Founded in 1962, America's Blood Centers is North America's network of non-profit community blood centers. America's Blood Centers' U.S. members are licensed and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Canadian members are regulated by Health Canada. America's Blood Centers' members operate more than 600 donor centers, and provide blood products and services to more than 3,500 hospitals and healthcare facilities across North America. America's Blood Centers' members subscribe to a community-based blood banking philosophy. That means community donors know that the blood they give stays in that community first – helping family members, friends and neighbors. Any excess supply is shared with other communities who need it most.

The New York Blood Center's National Cord Blood Program (NCBP) was started in 1992 with a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. It was founded to investigate cord blood as a possible solution to a critical public health need: finding appropriate hematopoietic transplants for patients who have no matched bone marrow donors.

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Sunday, February 18, 2018